The TIP provides venues so the voices of First Nations people can be heard. One of the consequences of racism against First Nations people has been the silencing of their voices, and the eagerness of Euro- Americans to speak for them, thus robbing them of their own freedom of speech.
The “Native American Experience” has been filtered through the lenses of a foreign culture that does not have the right, and lack the ability to speak to the most fundamental realities of Native experience.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

(Marquette, Michigan) - The founder of two interfaith environment groups is often asked by people around the globe to explain the best way to start an effective similar interfaith group in their own community.

Along the shores of Lake Superior, creating similar interfaith environmental groups was discussed by leaders of the Earth Healing Initiative and the Upper Peninsula Earth Keeper Initiative, both based in Marquette, Michigan.

The non-profit Earth Healing Initiative provided interfaith volunteers and participants top numerous cities during the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge.

The challenge involved the recycling of millions of pounds of electronics and the proper disposal of millions of pills and other pharmaceuticals in April 2008 during over 100 projects across eight states that make up the Great Lakes Basin.

This warm and calm day in May 2008 produced the tiniest of ripples in an unusually calm Lake Superior as wildlife heralded spring in the background. The serene setting was perfect to discuss interfaith environment work and how it can be created in others areas of the world.

The bishops and other faith leaders pledged to reach out to Native Americans and actively participate in interfaith environment projects.

This video includes the thoughts of Rev. Jon Magnuson, director of Lutheran Campus Ministry (LCM) at Northern Michigan University (NMU) in Marquette, MI; and Rev. Tesshin Paul Lehmberg, head priest of Lake Superior Zendo, a Marquette Zen Buddhist temple; and Lutheran Bishop Thomas A. Skrenes of the Northern Great Lakes Synod (NGLS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Rev. Lehmberg and Bishop Skrenes were among the nine original signers of the Earth keeper Covenant.

The non-profit Cedar Tree Institute (CTI) co-founded the interfaith Earth Keeper Initiative in Michigan's Upper Peninsula that works closely with ten faith traditions on a wide range of environment projects that include college students, at-risk teens, American Indian tribes and others.

Rev. Magnuson is the executive director of the CTI..The CTI Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative is developing a relationship with the same faith communities in northern Michigan and others across the Great lakes.

The faith communities include Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalist, Baha'i, Jewish, The Religious Society of Friends (commonly known as the Quakers) and Zen Buddhist.

The Earth Healing Initiative assisted challenge organizers by offering interfaith liaisons to volunteer and encourage members of local churches and temples to participate in the Earth Day related events in their area.

This video on the projects connected to the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge was made possible by a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with the EPA's Region 5 office in Chicago the EPA Great Lakes national Program Office - also in Chicago - in cooperation with the non-profit interfaith Earth Healing Initiative in Marquette, Michigan.

The Earth Healing Initiative involves American Indian tribes and "a coalition of churches synagogues and other faith traditions joining together to heal protect and defend the environment" said Rev. Magnuson, Earth Healing founder.

The next project during the summer of 2008 involves encouraging bee and butterfly pollenization through means that include creating habitat thanks to help from at-risk teens and American Indian tribes. The pollen project is important because billions of bees have died prematurely across the country and the problem has become alarming in the Midwest. More on this project in the near future.---Supers:

(Marquette, Michigan) - A Lutheran Bishop who has participated in interfaith Earth Day recycling projects for four years in a row said.

"Celebrate - what a great day Earth Day has been 2008," said Lutheran Bishop Thomas A. Skrenes of the Northern Great Lakes Synod (NGLS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "The Earth Healing Initiative has been a great success this year."

"Congratulations Earth Healers - you've done it, it has been a success," Bishop Skrenes said. "The EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge has been a great success."

"Computers have been recycled, pharmaceuticals have been brought together for proper disposal," Skrenes said. "We are hearing reports from all over the Midwest about wonderful things that are happening."

"Pharmacological waste - more than a million pills - and all kinds of poundage of equipment and computer materials that are surplus that will not pollute the beautiful Great Lakes over the next years because of the success of this challenge."

"Congratulations to those members of the faith communities and others who have been a part of this," Skrenes said. "It has been a great day, a great week, a great Earth day 2008."

"What a great opportunity it has been to be part of the ecumenical work and interfaith work of assisting others to see the environmental concerns set before us," said Bishop Skrenes of Marquette, Michigan.

"We are all environmentalists," Skrenes said. "Everybody is an environmentalist because all of us want clean air to breathe, all of us want clean drinking water. We all enjoy the outdoors and nature."

"So every single one of us - no matter our political understandings are - no matter where we are on the liberal and conservative line - no matter what we think of any of the big issues facing the world today - all of us can agree that it is in all of our interests."

The interfaith protecting of the environment "is an honoring of the God that made us, that we can be part of this movement to preserve to reuse to recycle - to make a difference," Skrenes said.

"We call that the environmental movement," Skrenes said. "Sometimes all kinds of political forces connect to that but yet all of us agree that we can all certainly conserve and save and bring back - and then give to the next generation what has been given to us."

With hundreds of thousands of people participating across eight states in the Midwest and Northeast, Bishop Skrenes said interfaith environment projects like the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge will help ensure a better future for all humans.

"It is a sign of great significance that people can join hands and work together," Skrenes said. "So celebrate - it is a good day for the environment and it is a good day for all of us together."

Bishop Skrenes thanked the EPA, faith communities and "people of goodwill throughout the upper Midwest who have been a part of this work."

"Thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency for their help and assistance in all of this work," Bishop Skrenes said. "The EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge has been a part of the lives and will be a part of the future of this whole area."

"It is a wonderful opportunity to begin to look at what it is that we hold in common," Skrenes said. "What we hold in common is this wonderful Great Lakes basin."

"This is a wonderful place with lakes and streams and forests everywhere in the Midwest, and the great plains and the great fields," Skrenes said. "We have been a part of saving some of this and making a difference - that's what it is all about making a difference."

"The faith communities do that each and every day in so many ways, this is just one more way. People of faith have bonded together and are working together to make a difference in the world."

"When we are working together as different believing communities great things can happen," Skrenes said.

"Sometimes we become so focused on what divides us, what disconnects us, what separates us - and there are important things that sometimes do that - but yet we can all have loyalty and allegiance to this world that has been our home and this part of the world that we have been blessed with by God."

"God has given us the privilege of living here in the midst of these lakes and in the midst of all of this beautiful nature," Skrenes said.

"When people of faith, whether they be of Christian traditions or of other traditions, gather together to work on what connects us. One of those things that connects us is respect and awe for the creation that surrounds us."

"We are part of a movement together in these early years of the Twenty-first (21st) Century to save what has been given to us by the generations before us and what God has provided to us," Skrenes said.

"When you can have people of all traditions working together - wonderful things can happen. People joining hands and making things happen. A spectacular success was this initiative. Thanks be to God for that - and thanks be to all the people that made this possible."

Bishop Skrenes is one of the original nine faith leaders who signed the Earth Keeper Covenant in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in 2004 that lead to many interfaith projects

The Cedar Tree Institute (CTI) co-founded the interfaith Earth Keeper Initiative in Michigan's Upper Peninsula that works closely with ten faith traditions on a wide range of environment projects that include college students, at-risk teens, American Indian tribes and others..The CTI Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative is developing the same relationship with the same faith communities in northern Michigan and others across the Great lakes.

The faith communities include Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalist, Baha'i, Jewish, The Religious Society of Friends (commonly known as the Quakers) and Zen Buddhist.

Springtime, Earth Day, the Great Lakes challenge and similar events are a renewal, Skrenes said.

"Now in the springtime - what a better time of year there is than spring I can not imagine. Springtime when the trees are just blossoming and the flowers are coming up and the spring rains - to be reminded of what a great God we have who has provided all this to us."

"So it is our privilege then to do this ministry to do this work together. "Every day is Earth Day - every day is an environmental concern day," Skrenes said.---Related Links:---

Sunday, May 25, 2008

An Earth Healing message, thank you and congratulations from Lutheran Bishop Thomas A. Skrenes about the success of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge

A Lutheran Bishop who has participated in interfaith Earth Day recycling projects for four years in a row said "the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge has been a success."

Celebrate - what a great day Earth Day has been 2008," said Lutheran Bishop Thomas A. Skrenes of the Northern Great Lakes Synod (NGLS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "The Earth Healing Initiative has been a great success this year."

"Computers have been recycled, pharmaceuticals have been brought together for proper disposal," Skrenes said.

"What a great opportunity it has been to be part of the ecumenical work and interfaith work of assisting others to see the environmental concerns set before us," said Bishop Skrenes of Marquette, Michigan.

With hundreds of thousands of people participating across eight states in the Midwest and Northeast, Bishop Skrenes said interfaith environment projects like the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge will help ensure a better future for all humans.

"It is a sign of great significance that people can join hands and work together," Skrenes said. "So celebrate - it is a good day for the environment and it is a good day for all of us together."

Bishop Skrenes thanked the EPA, faith communities and "people of goodwill throughout the upper Midwest who have been a part of this work."

"It has been a great day, a great week, a great Earth day 2008," Skrenes said.

"The EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge has been a part of the lives and will be a part of the future of this whole area."

Bishop Skrenes is one of the original nine faith leaders who signed the Earth Keeper Covenant in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in 2004 that lead to many interfaith projects

The Cedar Tree Institute (CTI) co-founded the interfaith Earth Keeper Initiative in Michigan's Upper Peninsula that works closely with ten faith traditions on a wide range of environment projects that include college students, at-risk teens, American Indian tribes and others..The CTI Earth healing Initiative is developing the same relationship with the same faith communities in northern Michigan and others across the Great lakes.

The faith communities include Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Methodist Church, Unitarian Universalist, Baha'i, Jewish, The Religious Society of Friends (commonly known as the Quakers) and Zen Buddhist.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

The EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge removed a huge amount of electronic waste and pharmaceuticals from eight states.

The goal of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge was the collecting and recycling of one million pounds of electronics (e-Waste) plus the collection and proper disposal of one million pills.

These goals were exceeded many times over.---A few examples:---

In Milwaukee: 32 tons of electronic waste and 3.5 tons of pharmaceuticals were turned in.---

At the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin near Green Bay: Approx. 4 tons of e-waste was collected plus thousands of pounds of other trash cleaned from reservation

Tribal members turned in ver 23 pounds of medicines including 100 bottles of pills, more than 25 computers and dozens of related components like hard drives, printers, keyboards and speakers; televisions, radios, DVD players, 12 cell phones and over 100 small batteries.---

In Traverse City: Over 28,750 pounds (over 12.5 tons) of computers and other e-waste was collected.---The electronic waste is recycled, and the pharmaceuticals are incinerated in state-of-the-art EPA -license facilities.

So why is this important?

The old and broken electronics - like computers, cell phones and TVs - contain heavy metals that can leach into the groundwater if dumped into landfills.

The unused pharmaceuticals can end up in your drinking water if they are flushed or poured down the drain.Thats because most wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove chemicals from these pharmaceuticals including hormones, narcotics, seizure medication and many more - that end up back in your drinking water.

In an April 2008 press conference in Milwaukee - EPA and other officials explained why the Great Lakes Challenge and similar projects are important to protect the environment and your health.

Pharmaceutical chemicals are sent back out into the Great Lakes, rivers and other places were people recreate and are the intakes for drinking water.

Studies show that the chemicals are appearing in the nations drinking water in small amounts - the long term effects are not known - however they have been linked to mutations in fish and other wildlife.

Also - these medicines can be stolen, diverted or accidently ingested by children - if they languish in your medicine cabinet.

Around the country many e-waste and pharmaceutical take back programs have been developed by governments and local businesses.Please check with your local officials to find out details for your area.Because every day should be Earth Day.

This video on the projects connected to the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge was made possible by a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with the EPA's Region 5 office in Chicago the EPA Great Lakes national Program Office also in Chicago in cooperation with the non-profit Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative in Marquette, MI.

The EHI involves American Indian tribes and "a coalition of churches synagogues and other faith traditions joining together to heal protect and defend the environment," said EHI founder Rev Jon Magnuson of Marquette Michigan.

Milorganite - How do we make this stuff?http://www.mmsd.com/news/detail.cfm?id=114---Milwaukee pdf flyer - scroll down pdf to bottom to see mini-version:http://www.mmsd.com/images/programs/MedicineCollection_041908.pdf---Traverse City, Michigan April 26, 2008

Sponsor/Contact: Grand Traverse County Resource Recovery

Kim Duane Elliott231-995-6075kelliott@grandtraverse.org

Type of Event: e-Waste

Goodwill Industries, Sam's Club and Grand Traverse County Resource Recovery held a free Computer Recycling Collection.

Tons of home and business computer equipment and peripherals were dropped of to a donation truck at Sam's Club, 2401 US Hwy 31 S, Traverse City on Saturday, April 26, 2008.

Wisconsin:Appleton, Brillion, Chilton, Crandon, Green Bay, Keshena (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and College of Menominee Nation), Manitowoc, Milwaukee, New Holstein, Oshkosh, Plover (two events), Racine, Superior, Waupaca.---A special thanks to the residents of Milwaukee who proved they love their city, Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes.

Also, we appreciate the support of the city of Milwaukee DPW and MMSD event partners without whom the collection would not have been possible:

E-scrap collection sponsors:The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, city of Milwaukee Department of Public Works (DPW), Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, the Italian Community Center, Midwest Computer Recyclers and WISN TV.

Medicine collection sponsors:The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Milwaukee Police, Milwaukee Brewers, City of Milwaukee, Aurora Pharmacy, Columbia St. Mary's, City of Racine, Racine Police Department, Burlington Police Department, Western Racine County Health Department, Caledonia/Mt. Pleasant Health Department, Ozaukee County Public Health Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Village of Saukville, Washington County, Washington County Sheriff's Department, and City of West Bend Sewer Utility.

The challenge was important because scrap electronics are the fastest growing segment of municipal solid waste stream.

Electronic waste or e-scrap may contain hazardous materials including lead, mercury and heavy metals that can pose a risk to human and environmental health through the release of toxins into the air and water.

During a press conference, EPA, DPW and other Milwaukee officials said the recycling of electronics is needed to avoid unwanted pollution and divert waste from the landfills.

EPA officials called the challenge a great success - adding it's a win-win situation for the public and for the Great Lakes ecosystem.

The challenge was an easy for everyone to take part in protecting the Great Lakes.

The EPA awarded grants to numerous cities participating in the challenge including the city of Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the "recycling televisions and computers reduces the risks of toxins contained in these products being released into our air and water."

Event partners included the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, city of Milwaukee Department of Public Works (DPW), Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, the Italian Community Center, Midwest Computer Recyclers and WISN-TV.

The contact is Rick Meyers with the City of Milwaukee Dept of Public Works. Call Meyers at 414-286-2334---Pharmaceutical collection:

Pharmaceutical collection phtos by Susan Boehme

There was a second successful challenge collection event in the Milwaukee area.

About 3.5 tons of pharmaceuticals were turned during the Milwaukee areas Medicine Collection Day sponsored by the Milwaukee Metro Sewerage District (MMSD).

The name of the pharmaceutical collection was "A prescription for clean water and safe kids.

In just four hours, more than 2,000 people delivered 3.5 tons of unused medication to collection sites in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, and Washington Counties for the third annual Medicine Collection Day.

The event is held to help protect our rivers and Lake Michigan, prevent childhood poisonings, and reduce substance abuse.

Never flush or pour old medicine down the drain.

Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove them from wastewater.-------

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Milwaukee Police, Milwaukee Brewers, City of Milwaukee, Aurora Pharmacy, Columbia St. Mary's, City of Racine, Racine Police Department, Burlington Police Department, Western Racine County Health Department, Caledonia/Mt. Pleasant Health Department, Ozaukee County Public Health Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Village of Saukville, Washington County, Washington County Sheriff's Department, and City of West Bend Sewer Utility.

For more information on the medicine collection call MMSD Public Information Manager Bill Graffin at 1-414-225-2077---The MMSD distributed nearly 200,000 postcards promoting the event that has been widely publicized by area media.

The Earth Healing Initiative distributed the final 5,000 cards to interfaith contacts in the Milwaukee area.

The Milwaukee events were among about 100 projects involving hundreds of communities across eight states around the Great Lakes basin that participated in the EPA Earth Day 2008 challenge.

The goal of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge was the collecting and recycling of one million pounds of electronics (e-Waste) plus the collection and proper disposal of one million pills.

The Earth Healing Initiative assisted challenge organizers by offering interfaith liaisons to volunteer and encourage members of local churches and temples to participate in the Earth Day related events in their area.

This video on the projects connected to the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge was made possible by a grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with the EPA's Region 5 office in Chicago the EPA Great Lakes national Program Office also in Chicago in cooperation with the non-profit Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative in Marquette MI

The EHI involves American Indian tribes and "a coalition of churches synagogues and other faith traditions joining together to heal protect and defend the environment" said EHI founder Rev Jon Magnuson of Marquette Michigan---Supers:

Milorganite - How do we make this stuff?http://www.mmsd.com/news/detail.cfm?id=114---Milwaukee pdf flyer - scroll down pdf to bottom to see mini-version:http://www.mmsd.com/images/programs/MedicineCollection_041908.pdf---Related information/websites:---

KGMB has numerous events scheduled in near future and would like volunteers.http://www.kgmb.org/volunteer.html

Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, Inc. (KGMB) is an award winning, private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. Established in 1983, it has been affiliated with Keep America Beautiful, Inc. since 1985.

KGMB has a strong history of responsiveness, renewal and innovation. KGMB uses a unique combination of community improvement programs like Great American Cleanup and education to accomplish its goals.

KGMB GoalsKGMB works in partnership with its communities to address:neighborhood cleanup and beautification waste reduction, reuse, and recycling environmental education for children environmental forums renewable and efficient energy use resource conservation---KGMB Conact info:http://www.kgmb.org/contact.html

KGMB facility features an in-house waste reduction education center.Educational tours can be arranged by phone:414-272-5462

Wisconsin:Appleton, Brillion, Chilton, Crandon, Green Bay, Keshena (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and College of Menominee Nation), Manitowoc, Milwaukee, New Holstein, Oshkosh, Plover (two events), Racine, Superior, Waupaca.---A special thanks to the residents of Milwaukee who proved they love their city, Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes.

Also, we appreciate the support of the city of Milwaukee DPW and MMSD event partners without whom the collection would not have been possible:

E-scrap collection sponsors:The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, city of Milwaukee Department of Public Works (DPW), Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful, the Italian Community Center, Midwest Computer Recyclers and WISN TV.

Medicine collection sponsors:The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Milwaukee Police, Milwaukee Brewers, City of Milwaukee, Aurora Pharmacy, Columbia St. Mary's, City of Racine, Racine Police Department, Burlington Police Department, Western Racine County Health Department, Caledonia/Mt. Pleasant Health Department, Ozaukee County Public Health Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Village of Saukville, Washington County, Washington County Sheriff's Department, and City of West Bend Sewer Utility.---